


What We Do In the Dark, Carried by the Winds

by dwightdoesgay



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Steampunk, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Fantasy elements, M/M, Magic, Multi, Steampunk elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:46:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24133798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dwightdoesgay/pseuds/dwightdoesgay
Summary: All David Jacobs ever wanted was to have a peaceful life with his younger brother, Les.With the attack of a cargo train and soon after, the disappearance of his brother, David is brought into a world of chaos and uncertainty. When all of David's findings lead him to a rebellion group called the Newsies and possibly the most powerful man in the city, does David Jacobs have what it takes to find his brother and live to see another day?
Relationships: David Jacobs/Jack Kelly, Spot Conlon/Racetrack Higgins
Comments: 10
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be my first ever long running fic, and also the second fic I'm writing. This has been my most ambitious endeavor I have ever tried, so I'm simply hoping for the best here- 
> 
> Also, updates are definitely not going to be consistent, so just please bare with me. Hopefully, it's all worth it down the road.

David abruptly awoke, startled by the obnoxious yell of a train whistle in the distance. He let out a sigh, dreading what was coming next. After quickly stretching his arms over his head and letting out a yawn, David made his way out of his tiny outpost. The soles of David’s aged boots made the gravel crunch. With every step that he took, a diminishing trail of sound followed behind. David took a quick glance at his surroundings; nothing but long and winding systems of train tracks. Up above, the sky was not but a dull dark gray, the moon and stars barely visible through the smog that lingered over the city. 

The job of a switchman wasn’t easy. Every time David had to pull a lever to switch the course of an incoming steam locomotive, the close distance between him and the large bodies of steam engines always resulted in a close call. David couldn’t even count the amount of incidents where he almost got an arm or leg chopped off because he got a little too close. He didn’t even have the strength to be able to pull the switch without channeling his Aether. 

_ Aether _ . It was a special form of energy that all human beings were born with. This energy could be used for many things. From being able to increase the physical capabilities of a person to being able to fly through the skies. The amount of possibilities that Aether opens up is almost endless. It had become such an integral part of human society that it would be hard to imagine life without it. 

Having been an orphan for most of his life, there weren’t many things that David Jacobs could be grateful for. Maybe his parents, but they’ve been dead ever since his early teens. Now, David was in his mid twenties. The only real constant that David has in his life was his younger brother, Les, and his Aether. As much as others took their Aether for granted, David had never felt more thankful for its existence. It gave him strength when he needed it most and allowed him to work jobs so that he could support his brother.  _ His brother.  _ If he had to, David would give his life for Les in a heartbeat. Les was the only family that David had left, and he was not going to give it away willingly. 

In order to actually use his Aether, David had to summon its physical form. That physical form would usually resemble a creature, both fiction and non-fiction, and varied from person to person. In fact, that was how historians and archaeologists knew that Aether has existed alongside humanity since time immemorial. Ancient artworks depicting heroes and kings with the creatures of Aether at their sides. Stories of ancient wars fought with Aether used as weaponry. 

With a deep exhale, David closed his eyes and started to focus. Within seconds, he felt a pair of talons perch on his shoulder. Up ahead, David saw the quickly approaching locomotive. It’s multiple valves billowing out smoke. The train’s headlights shone brightly, illuminating the tracks ahead. David gripped the handle of the track switch and pulled. A strong gust of force swished by David, making him wobble in place. David opened his eyes; all he could see was a blur of rusted bronze metal, accompanied by the sound of the wheels skidding across the rails. Not long after, the train had passed, going further into the city. David let out a sigh of relief. 

The sound of flapping feathers rung through the air. David looked over to his right shoulder and saw a horned owl preening. Its obsidian black feathers almost blended into the night sky as it extended one of its wings out. His Aether, who David had named: Nether let out a low  _ hoot _ . David chuckled in response and held out his arm. The horned owl, Nether, flew from David’s shoulder and landed onto his arm, another  _ hoot _ to signify satisfaction. 

“Thanks, bud,” David muttered. “Couldn’t have done it without you.” 

* * *

The streets of Lower Manhattan were a bustling mess. Groups of people were milling about, trying to get to where they needed to. Some had materialized their Aether, making the scene ever more hectic by having creatures in an array of colours and shades. Automobiles and wagons pulled by horses alike rode down the road. The street-lamps had a system cogs and pulleys, suggesting that they were being run by a very powerful steam engine. It was just the turn of the twentieth century and New York had managed to fully convert to steam machinery. Normally, with the amount of coal needed to power an entire society, the supply would’ve diminished at one point. That  _ was _ the case. Then someone managed to find a way. A way to  switch to a completely different power source while still maintaining the basic principles of the technology currently available. That someone was Joseph Pulitzer.

Through his research, Joseph Pulitzer was able to make an invention that solved the growing need for energy. That invention was called  _ Kruger _ . A milligram of this resource was more than enough to replace multiple tonnes of coal. Through Kruger, Pulitzer was able to head-start a company called  _ The World _ . Seeing as his company was the only one who could produce this, Pulitzer was able to ensure a monopoly  _ and _ political power. As a matter of fact, it was no secret that Pulitzer pulled a majority of the strings when it came to the government.

David could care less though. He didn’t like involving himself in anything that didn’t concern him or younger brother. All that mattered to him was making sure that he and Les were able to see another day. 

Speaking of Les, David really needed to get home. His brother was waiting for him and he didn’t want to keep Les waiting. After telling Les that he needed to get something, David had left their tiny apartment and made his way through Lower Manhattan. Now, after buying a fraction of a milligram of Kruger, David was making his way back. They really needed it in order to keep the lights running, making it David’s best interest to be as quick as possible. 

Off in the distance, David could hear someone shouting a string of words. Upon further harking, he realized that was being hawked was a headline. 

“Come get yer papes! Recently arrived cargo train attacked! Death count undetermined!”

Intrigued, David followed the source of the voice. Upon arrival, he saw a paperboy holding a stack of newspapers. With the signature cap perched on top of curly blonde hair and a cigar dangling from his mouth, the paperboy continued. There was a wolf that lay beside the boy. Most likely the boy’s Aether. The wolf’s red tinted fur indicated that the boy’s domain was  _ fire _ . With a quick snap of his fingers, a small ember emerged from the boy’s fingertips. He used the flame to light the cigar in his mouth. 

“How much for a paper?” David asked the boy.

“One cent,” the boy replied, his words slurred by the cigar in his mouth. 

David dug through his pockets, handing the boy a coin in turn for the daily edition. Having been distracted enough, David said a quick thank you and rushed to get back home.

* * *

“Les! I’m home!”

Getting no reply, David further made his way into the apartment. Not long after, a loud  _ clang _ came from further down the hall. Knowing exactly as to what was going on, David let out a defeated sigh. 

“Les! What did I tell you about being more careful?” David said. 

As he opened the door to Les’ bedroom, he could hear a rustling and a muttered swear. From the looks of it, Les was trying to stuff _something_ under his bed. Seeing as the object wouldn’t cooperate, David couldn’t help but find the sight amusing. Realizing that his plan was not going to work out, Les groaned. 

“Ahem.”

Les jolted in shock, sheepishly turning towards David. It was clear that Les was trying to hide something behind him.

Oh Dave! I didn’t expect you to get home so soon!” Les quickly exclaimed. It was clear that he was nervous from the way his voice quivered. 

“Watcha got there, Les?” David asked, a hint of amusement playing across his lips.

“U-uh, nothing Dave!” Les stammered. “It’s nothing at all! I promise!”

“Uh huh.” David said, trying his best to sound stern. “Just— Be more careful next time. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“Anyways,” David continued. “What were you making?”

“Nothing, really,” Les replied. 

He pulled out what he was trying to stuff under his bed and showed it to David. All David could really see was an array of… parts all mushed together into a spherical shape.

“What does it do?” David inquired, piqued with interest.

“I’m trying to make something that can, I don’t know, produce power?” Les replied. He was now occupied with the contraption within his hands.

“Welp, you don’t have to worry about that bud,” David said with a chuckle. “I got just what we need right here.”

David held up a small vial, glowing faintly of silver.

“Got some of that Kruger stuff right here.”

Les simply nodded in response, still entrapped with examining his creation. 

“Speaking of,” David continued. “Just gotta pop this into the generator.” 

“Ok Dave–” Les mumbled.

“Just call me if you need anything. I’ll be in the room next over.”

“Yep–”

With that, David smiled to himself and made his way out of Les’ room, quietly closing the door behind him.

* * *

Later that evening, David laid on his bed. He was reading the newspaper he got earlier that day from the boy with the cigar. David couldn’t get past the first page, completely enamored with the front page story.

_ A cargo train has been attacked at night… Thousands of dollars worth of materials ordered by The World stolen… A suspected terrorist group left a message for Pulitzer… The Newsies… _

David couldn’t help but focus on the date the event was speculated to have happened.  _ July 9th, 1901 _ . It was the same day that David was assigned a night shift to switch the tracks for an incoming. The picture of the train provided was also easily recognizable to David. While all he could remember seeing was a blur of copper, the design of the locomotive was distinct. Compared to other designs, this one had a much larger frame. Dozens of steam valves protrude from the sides, accompanied by visible cogs and wiring. All of this allowed the train to reach great speeds, possibly the fastest of its kind. It belonged to Pulitzer.

David had put the paper down after re-reading the story a few more times. David exhaled softly, trying to ease his anxieties. The possibility of a terrorist group within the city made David feel uneasy. Especially when it seems that their target had such a close proximity to his workplace. Seeing as it was getting late into the night, David tucked himself in and let sleep occupy his mind. 

_ If it doesn’t directly affect me, then I could care less. _


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Davey: Hello darkness my old friend...

The  _ Newsies _ made it very clear what they were after. With every newly published headline, another one of The World’s properties were decimated. Stories of sabotaged engines and stations spread quickly throughout the city. Hushed conversations that lingered the streets of New York were of the  _ Newsies _ , the people unable to discuss any other topic. The city was completely enthralled. 

It was no secret that Joseph Pulitzer  _ despised _ the Newsies with every ounce of his being. He even went as far as labeling them as a terrorist group who only seek political gain and money. Many of New York’s citizens believed him. Joseph Pulitzer  _ was _ the one responsible for the city’s prosperity. Without his inventions and contributions, life in the city would have been much more unforgiving. For one, the city would still be heavily reliant on coal as a power source. Kruger, with its seemingly boundless capabilities, had opened up endless doorways to technological advancement. What was once stated as impossible through the laws of thermodynamics was made  _ possible _ . With a creation that had given society a massive leap, it was only natural that people looked up to the man.

Security had increased by tenfold to protect every single estate of The World. Countless of brutish guards with their equally as strong Aether were hired and dispatched for the sole reason of preventing another onslaught from the  _ Newsies _ . 

David was once again stationed at his outpost. Now, two of Pulitzer’s soldiers were accompanying him. Word had been out that there was a planned attack to destroy any and all railways that led into the city. This would greatly affect The World. A majority of their imported goods were delivered by train. With the destruction of the railways, hundreds and thousands of dollars would be lost to The World in the blink of an eye. 

The whole situation made David uneasy. It was like trying to defuse a ticking time bomb. In theory, having two guards should’ve made him feel safer, but that was  _ not _ the case. In David’s mind, having extra precautions meant that they were expecting something to happen. The decision to do this gave the impression that  _ yes, we want you to come here _ . 

It wouldn't even be a bad idea. The set of railways David watched over was a big system. As a matter of fact, this system oversaw at least half of the trains that come into the city. Seeing as this was the case, the judgement of deploying  _ two _ , while heavily equipped, people to watch over a railway system that spanned a few miles of territory baffled David. Pulitzer was a man of intelligence, yet this was probably one of the stupidest ideas to have ever come to the man. Granted, he probably wanted to keep a certain image of dominance over the situation. Deploying an entire  _ army _ will give the impression that Pulitzer was scared. Seeing as he was pretty much the one who ruled the city, seeing a king bow down to a faceless threat will bring chaos to the kingdom. 

Chaos, to David, was unnerving. He preferred order above all else. As a result, David started to resent the actions of the  _ Newsies _ . Their actions had brought an uncontrolled tornado to a still field of wheat. The very formulated life that David had worked hard for was slowly getting uprooted by the day. He didn’t like the idea of having guards nearby. He didn’t like the prospect of another raid happening within his vicinity. With the importance of this railway system, the possibility only grew with every weighted breath.

The anxiety made David fiddle with the buttons of his sleeve. His once neatly pressed shirt was now starting to get wrinkled from his jerky movements. As David was trying to readjust his striped blue tie and tucking it under his vest, he scanned the area. All he saw were empty fields and rocky hills off in the far distance. The sunlight beat down harshly, the sky nothing but an endless sea. It was a hot summer day in the middle of July, heat unforgiving.

David took off his hat, wavy black hair starting to dampen from the moist. There was an almost deafening silence that hung over the area. No birds chirped or insects that buzzed. Normally, David enjoyed the stillness of the scene, but there was a sense of dread that rested at the back of his mind. It was making him restless. He would’ve much rather preferred the roaring whistle of an oncoming train than the uncomfortable feeling.

He hadn’t noticed at first, but the guards were nowhere to be seen. While it was safe to assume that they were patrolling, it was odd that they still hadn't come by David’s outpost. Most of the track switches and cross-ways congregated where he was stationed. If someone were looking to prevent all incoming imports by train, this was a goldmine.

David placed his elbows on the windowsill of the tiny, rectangular outpost. He leaned forward, resting his head atop his crossed arms, and closed his eyes. Releasing a shaky sigh to relax himself, David started to count down from ten. Doing this always calmed him.

_ Ten, nine, eight… _

He felt slight movement to his right; then a light peck on his head. David smiled to himself. When he opened his eyes he was met with an endless void. His Aether was staring directly at him with its beady black eyes. The obsidian feathers a stark contrast to the colours that surrounded them. 

_ Seven, six, five… _

David looked at Nether, and greeted the horned owl. “Hey there buddy.”

Nether tilted its head before spreading its wings, ascending off of the ledge and landing on the tiny desk nearby. David turned around, gaze following his Aether. Nether was now hopping around on the aged wooden surface, avoiding the tiny trinkets of pencils, screws, paper and any other items that were left abandoned. David giggled at the sight.

With his back to the outside, David brought a hand up to his face. A swirl of miasma like energy enveloped his arm, a mix of dark purple and ebony. David observed the mass, being lulled by the sight that unfolded before him. The domain of his Aether,  _ dark _ , was always able to bring tranquility to David’s rampant mind. Something about the endless void it resembled seemed to bring him back to reality every time. Perhaps it was a reminder of what was real and what wasn’t to David; a reminder of the endless void that were his thoughts. An untouchable void that was neither real or had any substance to the real world. At least, that was what always came to David’s mind whenever he stared at the abyss of his Aether. 

The low hoots Nether were making snapped David from his aimless thinking. Before he knew it, Nether took off from the desk and flew to David’s shoulder, gaze transfixed to the railways in front of it.

_ One... _

A loud  _ boom  _ reverberated across the air. Before he knew it, the same miasma like energy present on his arm now fully engulfed his vision. David was scared. He didn’t know what was happening. 

Moments passed. Time was still. 

David was disorientated. One moment he was transfixed by his Aether, next, there was an explosion. He had no sense of what was real, or what was just his imagination. David opened his eyes, dread overtaking all his emotions. An endless sea of fire met his gaze.

The tiny outpost was blown to shreds. Pieces of wood and metal were scattered around where David stood. Some of the remains had caught embers, producing smoke that made his lungs burn. Nether was now flying in loops above him, letting out a string of hoots. David slowly scanned the area. Everything was engulfed in crimson red, the spectacle resembling that of a world of brimstone. At the center where tracks and railways accumulate, there was now a charred crater present. Absolute destruction occupied David’s senses, unable to comprehend anything else. 

Amidst all of the chaos was a figure. The flames seemed to dance around the figure, never quite touching it. David tried to focus on what stood by the crater. Upon further inspection, he realized that it was a boy. His clothes were covered in soot, a blue plaid shirt with sleeves rolled up to the elbows, accompanied by a somewhat loose fitting pair of brown trousers. The boy noticed David staring. In response, he tipped his cap and gave a wink, mouth smirking around an unlit cigar. Before David knew it, the boy was gone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I at this point in time, I'm still uncertain about the direction I want to take with the plot. I already have some ideas of what's going to happen with the next few chapters though, so I guess we'll just see. Wee might be meeting a 'cowboy' within the next few chapters as well-
> 
> Tumblr: a-confused-dwight  
> Instagram: agaymusc.al.nerd
> 
> Also! If anyone is interested in a Newsies discord server, here is the code: UEMuhj6

**Author's Note:**

> Still in the works of trying to write the second chapter. And a fair warning. I tried to map out a plot but since this is my first fic ever, it's going to be very messy-
> 
> Tumblr: a-confused-dwight  
> Instagram: agaymusc.al.nerd
> 
> Also! If anyone is interested in a Newsies discord server, here is the code: UEMuhj6


End file.
